Machine for making resilient filter elements and batts



1955 J. B. SEBOK ET AL 2,728,953

MACHINE FOR MAKING RESILIENT FILTER ELEMENTS AND BATTS Original FiledMay 7, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 3, 1956 J. B. SEBOK ETAL 2,728,953

MACHINE FOR MAKING RESILIENT FILTER ELEMENTS AND BATTS Original FiledMay '7, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 [EU EH [0P5 Joseph 5 $650k Z B a 77k 5 b1956 J. B. sEBoK ET AL I 2,728,953

MACHINE FOR MAKING RESILIENT FILTER ELEMENTS AND BATTS Original FiledMay '7, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 E &

1955 J. B. SEBOK ETAL' MACHINE FOR MAKING RESILIENT FILTER ELEMENTS ANDBATTS Original Filed May 7. 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 I IIIIIIIIIII' 1956 J.B. SEBOK ETAL 2,728,953

MACHINE FOR MAKING RESILIENT FILTER ELEMENTS AND BATTS Original FiledMay 7. 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 [UVE'ZY/UTE JEE /5 5. 5850K 1;; Frank 5650KJan. 3, 1956 .1. B. SEBOK ETAL 2,723,953

MACHINE FOR MAKING RESILIENT FILTER ELEMENTS AND BATTS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6Original Filed May '7. 1948 Q Q m L 1 u I [EZVEZY/UPE k/OSEPlTB $65 k &2 i ank 5cbol I H7795.

FOR MAKINGYRESILIIENT FILTER MACHINE ELEMENTS AND BATTS Joseph B. Sebokand FrankSebok, Detroit, Mich., as signors to. Houdaille-Hershey.Corporation,.-Detroit,-

Mich., a corporation of Michigan Original application May 7, 1948,Serial No. 25,726. Di-

vided and this application December 20, 1950, Serial 3 Claims. (01'.19-67) This application is a division of our copending applicationentitled Method of Making Resilient'Filter Elements and Batts, filed May7, 1948, SerialNo'. 25,726, now Patent No. 2,680,899, wherein the methodperformed by the instant invention is more fully set forth, describedand claimed.

For purposes of clarity, the instant invention will be described mainlyin connection with the manufacture of filter elements and filter unitsfor automotive air cleaners; that is, filter elements and filter unitsused in air cleaners for association with the carburetor air intake ofinternal combustion engines. been manufactured in the .past, they werevery objectionably expensive and added considerablyito the cost of anair cleaner, especially because the casing structure of an air cleaneris substantially essentialas to material, shaping, finishing, etc., andonly a very minor saving may be acquired by variation in'.that.=casing.On the other handgif the cost of the filtenelementmay be reducedwithoutthe sacrifice .of efficiency, without endan gering pullover ofcleansing liquid into thecarburetor of the engine, and withoutincreasing the restriction to air flow through the cleaner; such savingis .very. substantial in the overall cost of the cleaner;

One of the prime objects of theinstant invention therefore is to providea machine for making such a filter element and filterunitin an extremelyeconomical 'manner and of economical materiaL and yet provide a betterand more durable, unit .and a. morelsatisfactory unit overall than hasheretofore been produced. I

Another object 'of this .inventionis the provision of a machine formaking resilient. self-sustaining filter elements or battsfrom fibrousmaterial such as'hog hair.

Also an object of the invention is the provision of a machine. formaking filter elements or filterunits in an exceedingly. rapid and.economical mannerythe machine requiring very little power for its"operation; I

Also an object of the invention is the-provision ofa machine for makinga complete filter unit including'both a holding shell and a fibrousfilter element formed within and secured to the shell. I 5

Still another feature. of. this invention resides in the As these unitsand elements have.

as bog hair, forming the element which is bonded in and i to the holdingshell.

Thus, the filter element maintains the protective screen in properposition in the shell and eliminates the previously necessaryspot-welding or equivalent operation to hold that screen in place.

Theindividual filter element and unit or batt, considered as a productor article of manufacture, is more specificallyset forth, described, andclaimed in a Joseph B. Sebok copending application for patent entitled-Filter Unit and Resilient Filter Element or Batt, filed March 20, 1948,Serial No. 16,078, now Patent-No. 2,582,915. While some of the moresalient features, characteristics and advantages of the instantinvention have beenabove pointed out, others will become apparent fromthe following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanyin'gdrawings, in which-" i Figure 1 is 'a front elevational viewof a'machineembodying principles of the instant invention;

chine;

Figure 3 is a topplan view of the machine; Figure 4 1s a fragmentaryplan sectional View through the discharge end of the rollers and beltsarrangement with parts shown in elevation, and taken substantially as indica ted by the line IVIV of Fig. 2; g

. Figure '5 is a view similar in character to Fig 4, but. taken on alower plane as indicated by the line V V of Fig. ljillustratin'g thecombfarrangementof the machine;

-Fi gure '6 is a fragmentary enlarged and substantially central verticalsectional view through the upper portion of the -machine takensubstantially as indicated by the line VI- VI'ofFig. 1; I

Figure'7 is a fragmentary enlarged substantially central verticalsectional view of the lower portion of the machine traitor;substantiallyas indicated by the line VII -VII of Figure 8-is. anenlarged bottom plan view of the filter holding shell in which thefilter unit is formed;

1 bath of plastic bonding material;

provision of amachine. for automatically producing a resilient filtervelement 'from .animal hair, such' as hog hair, which machine embodieszahigh-speed comb-like element that in effect blows theihairxinto: filterforming position after separating the v'ariou'slhair strands. 1

A further object of the inventionresides in the provision of a machinefor making an air filter. element from, rela-; tively short animalhair,-.whi'chvmachine"automatically removes thedust 'and scale from thehair-while forming the filter-element. t

It should also. be noted-that the instant invention embodies. a machinecapable of forming an air cleaner filter unit embodying a filter holdingshell having a bottom made up ofiagplurality; ofqradial ribs.:.with.open spaces 'therebetween, a protective screen covering the bottom,and a mass of relatively shortianitnal hairisuch Figure 9 is a centralvertical sectional view illustrating the dipping of the filter unitundergoing formation in 'a bath of plastic bonding material; Figure 10is a view similar in character to Fig. 9.illustrating the completefilter unit being withdrawn from the Figure ll is a diagrammatic, partsectional and part elevational view illustrating in general the'processof making continuously a self-sustaining resilient batt of indefinitelength;-and i Figure 12 is a fragmentary pictorial illustration of theresultant battmade as indicated in Fig. 111.

As shown on the drawings:

A product, such as a filter element orunit for an air cleaner, or aresilient batt for cushioning or other purposes, madeby .themachine,embodying the instant invention, may easily andeconomically be formedfrom short animalhair such as rabbit fur, horse hair, hair from the bodyof a cow or similaranimal, but preferably'from hog hair, a producthaving an extremely limited use prior 5 tot-the advent ofthis'invention. Applicants know of no instance; in whichhog hair wasever used-as'a filter'ele ment; especially for automotive air'eleaners.Cattle'tail hair has' been used for this purpose heretofore but that vhairis of considerable length and requires special treat is used,-., theaverage variation .in length. being approxi- Patented Jan. 3, 1956matelythreeeeighths ofsandnch andthatvariationis not sufficient towarrant any special attention.

For purposes of clarity, it may be better herein to briefly discuss:-the method'lpracticedlby the machine fo'rm'-' ing': thesubjecmnatter: ofthis inventiont. v

Theihair 'isifirst runthrougha gin mill toeliminate o'r pulverizcttoenails,- .remove scale, etc; The-hair is then fiameproofed: bydi'ppingathe same in a suitable; bath, whichmay be a 15 (0.20% solution.by weight: of -am moniurnsulfama'te inaWaterL. Such operation alsoeliminates static. electricity from: the hairs, and both purposes areaccomplished: in a .singleoperation. After drying,- the rna'teriai isweighed,.in the .event' individual filter elemen'tsiareto be made, .andthat -is the wayvthe': instant machine isdescribed. againfor. purposesof clarity,. and themeachbfatch ispassed through: the machine" to" forma filtenel mentn i .v

..-After; the; forming: of th'efilter elemenhthe. entire assemblyincluding the filter holding; shell togethenwith'dhe hainrnassisdipped-in asolution-of aplastic bondingiage'nt to bond the hair-fiberstogetherand alsolbond the entirernass of haindireqtly in and to: theholdingc.shellz...,For this purposean oil resistantrubbersubstitutebonding. agenh such asneoprenejlateJg, may be used, anda.s'olu tion of 25% solids and 7 -%qwate'r is satisfactory forithispurpose. The neoprene latex may be cured or set by heat treatmentat-250f F. for 2; to 5 minutes,- byway: of. example. Of, course, once;set, ,thebonding agent: is .not thereafter. soluble in water, v Otherbonding agentsumay also be employed such for example asia vinylsolution, as more fully pointed outin; my aforesaid copendinglapeplication. The removallof the filter element'after. dipping iii'to thebonding agent solution; is also a;- salient feature of th :methQd inthatif itis withdrawn; from 2a dipping;

bath with great" rapidity, it will bedenser, of less height, than, if itis 'gentlywithdrawn. from the dipping. bath; Therefore, the speed ofwithdrawal-is utilized tocontrol the density and thickness of theresultant} filter. element. In the illustrated embodiment of themajchinethere ijs howna suitabl'eff'rame 1 made o t any suitablemate=riallsuch as angle iron, andiwitha; pair of-platforms- 2 and" 3 (Fig. 3)on top. A box-like housing 4 is. also mounted ontop of the frame,substantiallycentrally. of the" forward side thereof, and; thefrontplate ofithis housing, has bee'nleft removed so as toprovidebothbetter vision of. and access tothe mechanism inside-thehousing. As seen best in Fig. 6, therear wallof the lhousinggis p ovidedwith a relatively large aperture or opening 5 With reference again toFig- 6, it\wi ll; be seen that insidethe housing there is a lowenroll 6carriedon a shaft ,71and1an' upper roll; 8 carried on ashaft 9",. overwhich rolls an endless .belt 1ft} travels; The .uppenroll: .8 is urgedaway from the roll 6 by means 0f,-;a; suitable spring biasingmechanismllon each side of. the housing 4 to maintain tension onthebelt. Another. pair. of rolls including a lower roll 12. on a shaft 13and-an upper roll 14 on a shaft 15 carrya second be1t. 1 6,.which beltcarries a chain 17" on the inside secured to the satin any suitablemanner as by one or more rivets 18. The rolls 1-2 and 14 are notched asindicated at 19 in Fig. 6 to accommodate su h chain. v As is -clearlyapparent from theshowing in Figs; 3" and-6,; the lower rolls 6' and 12are disposed immediately; adjacent eachother, while m upper'm11s's1snd=14 are-spread apartso that the inside reaches of thef' belts 10 and: 16form-a relatively large V-shaped pocket" extending the full width of thehousing .4. The lowerroll 12 is-biased' inwardly so as to' establishtight'contact between the belts at the apex of the-V pocket by meansofsuitable spring biasing elements 20' on" each side: of-,.the housing..It. is' important that the belts be maintained in close contact witheach other at the apex ofltheM pocket.

1 As is seen best from the showing in: Fig; 3 the mu 6" is drivcnfromafractionaLhorsepower motor 21w mounted on the platform 2 through. adouble set of speed reducers 22 and 23 and a shaft 24. A satisfactoryoperating speed for the roll 6 is nine revolutions per minute. The driveis transferredi from the roll 6 to the upper roll associated. withgtheforward belt by means of a gear train on tlieiopposite side of p thehousing. The gear train, best seen in Fig. '2} 'ih'clude's a gear 25 onthe: shaft; .7 of the, roll 6,. a. gear 26" of the same size on theshaft 15' of the roll 14, and a p'air of" like gears 27 disposedtherebetwen and mounted ons'ui'tabl'e' stub shafts; .Thus,. theroll=.1.4 and the belt 16 is driven at the sariie 'sp'eediasfthelrollfi. Both belts are therefore positively driven, and the inside reachesof .these belts travel downwardly as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 6.

With referencenow to Figs. Sand 6', it will be seen that beneath theapex of the V pocket formed by the belts; at rot'aryi comb- 28' iscarried on a shaft 29. The corri b exiendstlie-full width oftlieho'u'sing 4. Specifically, the comb cofnpri's'es a"rollwith"s'everal spiral rows ofrp'in'sf'28a exten'ding'outwardly therefro This combmay: be driven by a fractional horsepower motor 30 mounted on theplatform 3 as seen clearly in Figs. 1 and satisfactory spee'd forthiscomb is in the neighhorhood: of: 5000 revolutions per minute.

,As. the hair-deposited in the" V pocket between the belts10 anrlr16emerges from the apex of the V, it is engaged by the rapidly spinningcomb and the individual hair. strands are separated andhurled downwardlythrough a discharge spout 31. As-see'rr in Fig. 6, a forward flange 32'extends from the top of'the spout inside the housing? 4'-to guide thehair into the spout. There is. also a rear-ifiaii'g'e' 33 provided whichis turned back ward im .its'; upper portion t'o'pe'rmit dust and scalewhipped fromz thelha'irbythe action of the comb to bedischargedirearwardlythi ough the opening 5 in the housing;...The'.lii'gh' sp'eed er the comb will give the effect ofoasblower.bOtili for advan'cin'g the hair through the dischange' 'spout'31andalso: for: discharging the dust aIldkSGalB- through the opening. 5:in the housing.

The lower portion of the machi'n is best seen in Figs. l,v 2;..andi7. Apair of side members 34- 3'4- support across shaft 35ihpon" which. aplatform 36 may pivot, as indi'cat'edrby theidottedt lines in Fig. 21 Ontherear of this-platform a. fractional horsepower electric motor 3!!- ismountedtwhich, through. a suitable worm and gear arrangement 38; drivesa vertical shaft 39 journalled in a superstructure 40,.lasbest seen inFig. 7. The upper and ofithis; shaft fixedly. carries: a filter unitsupporting pan.41 2-which,.1of. course; rotates with. the: shaft.

. Everything onrthe platform 36 tiltsv along with the platfornauponrelease of a latch member 42 (Figs. 1 and- .33) whichis-actuatd by a.slide pin 43. A cross pin 44 (Fig. 2)...lirnits thef.backwardtiltingmovement of the-platform and? holds itv level during operation of "themachine.

,...When:.it'.is.- desired to? operate the machine, the actual 1 filterholding shell that is ultimately used in the compl'eteair..cl'eaner.i'splacbdupdn the pan 411. With reference more; pai t-iculanly" toFigsJand 8, it will besee'n that thisoshell, .coinprises a cupf-likemetallic formation including. anzrouteigfcylindricalr wall:-45 havin anoutwardly fiaredtnppenniargin 4.6;. Theibottom of: the shell includes;a. plufalityi of. radially extending. ribs 47- with relatively largeapertures .47ar'ther'ebe'tween to permit passage of air upwardly throughthe filter unit when in thetair cleanerVJIn; theillustrated instance theparticulair-filter unitis of the ,type for. use in a so-called hat typeliquid bath air cleaner for association with adowndraft carbur'etor....Suchfan air cleaner has. a center outlet passage. for the? clean andaccordingly the 'filt'er shell ispreferahly provided witlii a'- centertube 48'. This previously to the formation of the hair element, and thenafter the element has been completed spin the upper.

margin outwardly to the dotted line position seen'rin Fig. 10. In theouter portion of the, bottom thereof the shell is also provided with aplurality of relatively small apertures 49 to facilitate drainageof theplastic compound after the dipping operation.

When there is to be a central opening through the filter element, a plug50, ofwood or any suitable material, is attached to the top of the shaft39, and if the filter element is not to have an aperture therein, thatplug may easily be eliminated. Before the reception of the .hair by thefilter shell, a cylindrical sleeve 51 is preferably snapped over the lip46 of the shell by spring clamps52 or in any equivalent manner, to holdthe hair in position, above the shell before thathair is bonded by theplastic.

From the showing in Fig. 8, it will be seen that where a protectivescreen is required, such a screen 53 may merely be laid in the bottom ofthe, shell over theribs 47. Formerly, this screen was spot-welded toeach of the ribs 47 and that operation, in the illustrated instance,would require twelve spot-welds. Those spot-welds are nolonger-necessary with the present invention, because the plastic bondingagent not only bonds the individual strands of hair together, but bondsthehair filter1e1ement directly to the inside of the shell and .to thescreen 53, thus holding the screen firmly in'position.

During operation of the machine, the filter holding shell is firstmounted in position, and the sleeve 51 placed thereupon: The motors 21,30 and 37 are then started, and a predetermined quantity of short animalhair, such as hog hair, is placed in the V pocket defined by the belts10 and 16. This hair is gradually discharged through the apex of the Vpocket between the belts and as it emanates from the lower end of thepocket, the hair is whipped by the comb 28, the tines or pins 28a ofthis comb separating the individual strands of hair, and acting as ablower to force these strands of hair downwardly through the dischargespout 31 directly into the spinning filter holding shell. At the sametime the hair is forced downwardly through the chute 31, dust and scalefrom the hair is forcibly discharged rearwardly through the opening 5 inthe back of the housing 4.

The predetermined quantity of hair passed between the belts will bedistributed evenly and with the individual hair strands disposed atrandom in the form of a mass 54 inside the filter holding shell andpartially within the sleeve 51 as seen clearly in Fig. 7. The individualstrands of hair will be interlocked with each other to such an extentthat when the full measured quantity of hair has been deposited, theplatform 36 may be tilted forwardly as indicated by dotted lines in Fig.2, and the shell and sleeve removed therefrom, and then the sleeveremoved from the shell, with the mass 54 retaining its original shape.The mass will then have the appearance of the showing in Fig. 9.

After the shell together with the hair mass 54 is removed from the pan41, the entire structure is then dipped into the plastic bondingsolution. This operation is illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 wherein a tank55 contains a quantity of solution 56. The shell and filter mass isdeposited in the tank so that the batt is entirely submerged asindicated in Fig. 9. Then the entire structure is lifted from the tankas indicated in Fig. 10. It will be noted that the mass is higher orthicker from top to bottom before being dipped than it is after beingdipped. The speed with which the shell is withdrawn from the plasticbath will gauge the thickness of the filter element. Usually a gentledipping is preferred, and the filter element will shrink to theproportion indicated in Figs. 9 and 10 by virtue of a relatively gentlewithdrawal from the plastic bath. Upon withdrawal from the bath, theentire unit is permitted to drain free of excess plastic through theholes 49 in the bottom of the shell, and then it is subjected to adrying operation,

either air dried which of course requires the mosttime, or it may besubjected to a heat treatment as by passing it through an oven, as aboveexplained, to hasten the drying time. When dry, the individual strandsof hair are bonded to each other at random and at intervals, providing afilter mass or element that will not compact during use, that will notchannel during use, that is resilient, and of substantially uniformdensity throughout. Such an element on actual test with U. S. Army finedust has proven of, greater efficiency than the cattle tail hair filterelement used heretofore.

.In Figs. 1l and 12 we have indicated, somewhat diagrammatically, how aresilient batt of indefinite length may be made from hog hair orequivalent short animal hair.- In this construction the diagrammaticallyillustrated apparatus includes a pair of pulleys 57 and 58 around whichan endless conveyor is trained. This con-,

veyor includes a plurality of pivotal and overlapping bottom plates 59,and pivotal and overlapping upstanding side plates 60 on each side ofthe conveyor. Thus, the structure is channel-shaped in cross section,but sufliciently flexible to pass around the pulleys 57 and 58. The hairis deposited continuously on the conveyor from the discharge spout 31 ofthe machine above described. Instead of measuring out predeterminedquantities of the hair for each individual filter element, as was abovedescribed, the hair is merely continuously placed between the belts sothata continuous and even discharge of hair is acquiredthroughthespout31. As the deposited hair travels along onthejconveyor an endless belt61 mounted upon a series of pulleys 62presses the conveyor and hairthereon into a tank 63 containing a bath of plastic bonding solution 64.The conveyor then carries the now wet mass of hair through a drying ovendiagrammatically indicated at 65. The finished batt 66 emanates from thedrying oven, and a section of this batt is illustrated in Fig. 12. Thebatt is separated from the conveyor in any suitable manner such as by ascraper element 67.

The completed batt may be used for many and various purposes. The battis self-sustaining, resilient, and of substantially uniform density, sothat it may either be used as a filter element or as a cushion. Sectionsmay be removed fromthe batt in any desired shape and used as a filtermedium in air conditioning systems, air purifying systems, and similarlocations. Various other uses as will be apparent to one skilled in theart may be made of such a batt of material.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that we have provided a machine formaking a resilient filter element or batt of bonded short animal hair,especially hog hair, thus providing a new use for a material, hog hair,that heretofore had no use as a filter element and was limited in itscapacity for any use. Further, the machine is economical to operate,efficient in operation, and highly durable, resulting in the productionof a superior and economical product.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of constructionmay be varied through a wide range without departing from the principlesof this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit thepatent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of theappended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a machine for making a resilient batt of fibrous material, ahousing, a spout in said housing, said spout projecting partiallytherefrom and having an inlet in the housing and an outlet outsidethereof, a high speed rotary comb mounted within said spout adjacent theinlet thereof, means above said spout inlet extending partially thereinfor delivering fibrous material to said comb which whips the material toseparate the fibers thereof and force the material through said spoutoutlet, said housing having an opening in the wall above said spoutinlet, said comb by its whipping action also separating dust and scalefrom the material, and said material delivering means

